It is known in the electronic arts to build electronic assemblies by mounting components and interconnections on circuit boards. Ceramics, such as for example alumina or beryllia, are much used for circuit boards because of their dimensional stability and excellent thermal properties.
Metal film conductors prepared by means well known in the art are used on circuit boards to provide interconnections and bonding pads for various components. Some components, as for example resistors, are also provided in film form on ceramic boards. Other components, as for example, IC's, transistors, diodes, capacitors and transformers are often provided in discrete form and mounted on and/or connected to metallized contact regions on the board. Methods for providing such are well known in the art.
A particular problem associated with electronic circuits and assemblies that must operate in the radio frequency (RF) range of 100-1000 MHz or higher is that the performance of such units is especially sensitive to parasitic R, C and L associated with the placement of the components and interconnections on the circuit board. Parasitics can adversely affect gain, bandwidth, stability and noise. Because of these parasitics, the performance of such circuits is less than ideal and there is a continuing need to provide RF circuits and assemblies, particularly hybrid RF amplifiers, in which the adverse affects of parasitics are reduced and improved performance obtained.